Indianapolis - The Indianapolis Colts and the City are teaming up once again, this time to help ex-offenders get jobs and break the cycle of crime.

Colts Coach Tony Dungy will serve as the city's honorary chair for a new program to link offenders to jobs upon their release. Mayor Greg Ballard named a re-entry director and will sponsor a job fair at Ivy Tech next month.

The city plans to acquire at least $1 million in grants for the program. Ballard says it's simply the right thing to do.

"This is a major priority for the city. With 5,000 people coming out every year, and a recidivism rate of 74%, this is a major public safety issue," said Mayor Ballard.

"We're going to try to recruit the support of everyone to make our city better not only for these ex-offenders, but for all of us. So I'm delighted to be part of this, proud that the Colts are part of this," said Coach Dungy.

Dungy's community work has included participation in the Prison Crusade Ministry from his time as Tampa's coach. President Bush last year appointed him to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

This story will be updated later today with more on the program and a former inmate working to help others get on the job track.

Trader Joe

07-21-2008, 04:23 PM

Is Dungy still the Colts head coach? Seriously the guy should have retired if he wanted to do all this other stuff.

Gyron

07-21-2008, 04:32 PM

So they're pairing up to place the Ex-Pacers Players with jobs?

Sorry, bad joke, but someone was going to say it. Might as well be me.

Spicoli

07-21-2008, 04:34 PM

What Dungy does is noble and all, but I agree with Indy.

I honestly think Irsay just pressured Dungy into staying for 1 more year for the opening of The Luke, which Dungy had a big role in making possible. Maybe "pressuring" is a bad word, but I suspect he was highly encouraged, and has pretty much free reign to do whatever he wants even if that means less football coaching.

I'll be shocked if this isn't his last year.

Jonathan

07-22-2008, 12:42 PM

A head coach in the NFL is not that hard of a job if you have an excellent staff & a winning team. The only time a head coach matters is if/when you are in a rebuilding mode.
On a side note, I do not want to talk about how terrible our judicial is in the United States b/c it is based on money not justice.

Since86

07-22-2008, 02:42 PM

I don't know about it not being a hard job, but you won't find me complaining about a man in his position transcending his sport and actually working on soceity.

Football is just a game, and a means to become "important." Using that game to better our city/state is a very noble and honorable thing to do.

Dungy is a man of God, family man, and NFL head coach in that order. I have zero qualms about it, especially considering the production from the team is still there and still going strong.

If every year he takes a step back and gives more responsibility to Caldwell, getting the team ready for the transition, why complain?

I wish more athletes and coaches would be like Dungy and Tim Tebow. (I know there are a lot more of them out there like Warrick Dunn and so forth.) I would definately give up some play production for this to become a better place.

jeffg-body

07-22-2008, 10:51 PM

This is an absolute wonder of a helping hand for these people coming out of prisons. As a social worker who helps people find jobs that are disadvantaged I see how hard it is for someone with a criminal record to find employment. Hopefully a lot of people will find good jobs that they need now and in the future.